as in cancelation
the act of putting an end to something planned or previously agreed to
the calling off of the senior prom is not going to go over well
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in distracting
to draw the attention or mind to something else
she was about to tell me the big news when her attention was called off by the arrival of another guest
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in cancelling
to put an end to (something planned or previously agreed to)
called off the party after half of those invited couldn't make it
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of calling off
Sarah Jones, PEOPLE, 8 Sep. 2025
But lately, more buyers are calling off their deals to look for better ones.
—Lew Sichelman, Miami Herald, 29 Aug. 2025
In it, Belly (Lola Tung) is headed to Paris after calling off her wedding to Jeremiah (Gavin Casalegno), unsure what the future holds for her.
—Katie Campione, Deadline, 29 Aug. 2025
They were engaged for nearly a year before calling off their wedding less than one month before the date.
—Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 5 Aug. 2025
Verb
Years after calling off their first engagement, Affleck and Lopez reconnected then married in 2022.
—Sarah Jones, PEOPLE, 8 Sep. 2025
But lately, more buyers are calling off their deals to look for better ones.
—Lew Sichelman, Miami Herald, 29 Aug. 2025
In it, Belly (Lola Tung) is headed to Paris after calling off her wedding to Jeremiah (Gavin Casalegno), unsure what the future holds for her.
—Katie Campione, Deadline, 29 Aug. 2025
They were engaged for nearly a year before calling off their wedding less than one month before the date.
—Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 5 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for calling off
Verb
-
This combination lends itself to transitions from focus to out of focus and background blur (bokeh) that's smooth and free of distracting elements.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
9 Sep. 2025
-
In class, Danny continues to be disorderly, challenging Maria’s authority, throwing stuff when angry, completely distracting and even frightening the other students.—
Leslie Felperin,
HollywoodReporter,
7 Sep. 2025
Noun
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But the new leadership team, headed by Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), all voted against the House’s 2021 AUMF repeal bill and did not have an appetite to bring it up last year.—
Rachel Schilke,
The Washington Examiner,
10 Sep. 2025
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The senator also called for the full repeal of Section 230.—
Julia Shapero,
The Hill,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
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But the rail authority has argued that, in the long-term, a train system would save money by diverting travelers away from roads and airports.—
Ariane Lange,
Sacbee.com,
5 Sep. 2025
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Twenty-six percent of HR time is consumed by leave management activities, diverting critical resources from strategic initiatives.—
Anant Agarwal,
Forbes.com,
2 Sep. 2025
Verb
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White House officials briefly explored cancelling some of SpaceX’s deals with NASA and the Department of Defense, The Wall Street Journal reported in July.—
John Hyatt,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
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The woman noted that canceling the shower has left her heartbroken.—
Ashley Vega,
PEOPLE,
9 Sep. 2025
Noun
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While some travelers choose to fly on Thanksgiving Day for lower prices and crowds, most leave at least a day early to avoid the risk of cancellations or delays upending their holiday plans.—
Eve Chen,
USA Today,
12 Sep. 2025
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Noise Cancellation The AirPods Pro 3 have a new active noise cancellation (ANC) system that Apple says can block out twice as much outside noise as the AirPods Pro 2.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
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REITs aren’t the only healthcare plays throwing off fat dividends right now, though.—
Brett Owens,
Forbes.com,
1 Sep. 2025
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Manager Craig Counsell anticipates Taillon throwing off a mound Wednesday at Oracle Park so the Cubs can gauge how the veteran starter feels and then make a decision about his next start.—
Meghan Montemurro,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Companies that committed to DEI efforts and made public statements are now pulling back from those policies, editing their websites, disbanding employee resource groups, and quietly abandoning inclusive hiring goals.—
C200,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
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Importantly, the company is also abandoning its plan to build a competitor to the cellular Starlink service.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
8 Sep. 2025
Noun
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While Beijing hasn’t gone as far as Moscow, its quiet abandonment of the denuclearization goal marks a subtle yet consequential shift – one that could open the door to closer China-North Korea ties, or even bolster momentum for trilateral cooperation with Russia, Zhao said.—
Nectar Gan,
CNN Money,
10 Sep. 2025
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People can handle uncertainty, but not abandonment.—
Daisy Auger-Domínguez,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Calling off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/calling%20off. Accessed 14 Sep. 2025.
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